One game after taking care of that messy Patrick Ewing business, Marcus Camby took care of the Celtics last night at the Garden. Hopefully, now the Knicks know the kind of player they have in Camby, who poured in 27 points, pulled down 17 rebounds, made three blocks and even handed out three assists in the 95-88 win.

If Camby weren’t such a nice guy, he might tell the Knicks to take that infamous Brian Grant poster they designed this summer while wooing the free agent and tell them to slam-dunk it in the trash.

Asked about that poster as he made his way out of the Garden, Camby could only laugh. “I saw it but I didn’t say anything about it,” he said. “I’m sure the Knicks still have it somewhere.”

Maybe they can sell it on e-bay. Put some extra cash in the coffers for the Chris Webber deal next year.

Just in case anyone needs reminding, this is what the Knicks have in Camby. He is fast becoming one of the dominating players in the NBA. In fact, Camby is one of only nine players in the league averaging a double-double with 11.2 points and 11.5 rebounds per game.

Over the last four games he is averaging 18.5 rebounds a game. You’ll see some of the biggest names in the game in the accompanying chart, led by Shaquille O’Neal. Yes, Camby is not about muscle in the pivot, just performance.

No one has enjoyed the addition of Mark Jackson more than Camby. Jackson has made the Knicks more uptempo.

Jackson is no fool. When he comes into a new situation, a new team, he immediately bonds with the big man, whether that be Ewing as he did his first go-round here or Reggie Miller.

Said Jackson of Camby, “He’s just incredible. “I knew he was very good, but he’s better than I thought.”

Perhaps Jackson was listening to all those silly trade rumors. Not dealing Camby, of course, is the best trade Knicks’ GM Scott Layden never made. Layden getting Jackson has made the Knicks whole.

There were times last night when the Knicks showed the ball movement of the Frazier, Bradley, Reed, DeBusschere Knicks and the Garden fans loved it. This is a team that’s excited about passing the basketball again. It was only fitting that Giants quarterback Kerry Collins was seated courtside.

The Knicks have their point guard now and there is no need for the likes of Rod Strickland, who was dumped by the Wizards yesterday. Let Strickland go to the Heat. Let Pat Riley have all the washed-up players he can get down there in Retirement City. Let the Knicks race past the Heat in the playoffs with Camby flying all over the place. Let Jackson run the show.

“When you have a guy who has the vision that Mark Jackson has and can pass the ball,” explained assistant coach Don Chaney, “what happens is players who are scorers and players who are, sort of fringe players do things a little bit harder.

“If you’re a fringe player, you run harder because you might get a layup off the break. If you’re a shooter, you set your guy up a little bit harder, knowing you are going to get your shot. It creates move movement. Guys know that if they move and move the defense, they are going to get the ball.”

Guys like Camby soaring along the baseline. Isn’t that what basketball is all about? Move without the ball. Be rewarded with the ball. Even though Jackson missed eight of his nine shots, he still had nine assists. In Jackson’s two full games as a Knick, the team has averaged 27 assists, 10 more than they had been averaging.

“Mark just creates an atmosphere where guys know that the opportunity is there to score if you do the right things to get yourself open,” Chaney noted.

Camby agreed, “Mark really sets the tone. He’s really an unselfish players. Since he’s been here we’ve been picking it up more and more.”

In the key sequence of the game with the Knicks on top, 85-84 after nearly blowing a 16-point lead, a slicing Camby followed his own miss for a basket, then fed Larry Johnson for a layup and pulled down a defensive rebound, leading to a Latrell Sprewell jumper that put the Knicks over the top, 91-84.

The Knicks can make an uptempo move in the standings, considering the competition. They’ve won three straight, and tonight it’s the Bulls in Chicago. It won’t take much to beat the Bulls. They’re averaging a league-low 86.3 points.

How bad are the Bulls? That’s their highest point total in three seasons. Of course, the Knicks have lost five straight on the road, but that was the pre-Jackson Knicks.